XOXO, Violet

East Beach High #2

by Ginger Li

Does this ever happen to you?

You see your crush.

You open your mouth to say something to him…

And end up talking about plant reproduction instead.



No? Just me?



Online, I’m a popular plant YouTuber who keeps her identity hidden. In real life, I’m a nerdy senior who’s known as the most awkward girl at East Beach High.

I’ve admired my crush from afar for years, and now I’m finally going to grab his attention.

My secret weapon? Wesley Stirling. East Beach High’s resident charmer and playboy. He’s going to be my dating coach. Turns out he needs tutoring in math and suggests a simple arrangement. I’ll teach him pre-calc and he’ll teach me how to flirt… and kiss.

But when our dating lessons begin feeling like the real thing, I start wondering what Wesley’s true intentions are.



Solving simultaneous equations is easy.

Solving matters of the heart? Not so much.

Genres: Young Adult, Romance, High School, Contemporary, Clean Romance, Sports Romance, Friends To Lovers

260 pages, Kindle Edition

Published September 9, 2021

About the author

Ginger loves the color yellow, baked goods, and all things Halloween. When she's not busy playing with kids, she enjoys reading, listening to sappy pop music, and dreaming up love stories featuring brave heroines, a touch of magic, and hopeful endings.

To find out more about Ginger and her books, visit https://linktr.ee/GingerLiWrites

Reviews

[Meredith · Rating 5 out of 5]

- Violet and Wes
- her thoughts are hilarious
- I love a good muscle reference
- the rectangle of silence is adorable
- I love how flirty and confident he is but he's not a jerk
- I'm a big fan of the slow jealousy.
- he doesn't know but I know and I love watching it play out
- oh my gosh. The notebook and the succulent class. I melted.
- she is awkward and uncomfortable and I experience a lot of second hand embarrassment but I regret nothing because Wes is just such a heart throb
- okay, "my girl" is so incredibly adorable to me. I love when my husband calls me his girl and I love it in books.
- I loved it. I absolutely loved all of it. The ending. Be still my beating heart!
- sigh. How long before I can read it again? I need to go through and mark my favorite parts so I can read them at a moments notice.
- 5+
- So many good quotes. How do I choose!?


" "Hey, Wes?" I returned my gaze to my cell phone.. Violet gave me a soft smile. "Thanks for calling me tonight." I stared at the beautiful girl on the screen, wishing she truly was here with me now. "I missed you, Vi," I murmured."

"That was easy. Happy. Violet made me feel like anything was possible. She listened to me, and she made me laugh. When I was with her, I felt... complete. My sister pinned me with a gaze that told me she knew exactly what I was thinking. Oh shoot. Ophelia was right-I liked Violet. And I had no idea what to do about it."

[Shelly Cook · Rating 5 out of 5]

***sigh*** I am embarrassed to admit that I truly love this series. As an adult. But it is the perfect brain cleanse from my darker reads, and I absolutely love the characters in these books! They are witty and kind and love their families and it all just makes a great and enjoyably refreshing story. I realize I am too old to be loving them, but I can't help it. And I will definitely be recommending them to my nieces.

[Courtnee Turner · Rating 5 out of 5]

XOXO, Violet is a sweet teen romance. Ginger Li gives the reader a likely crush, and an unlikely romance.
Violet has liked Chase for years, but she fumbles over her words every time she’s near him. Wesley attracts girls like a magnet, but he doesn’t stay with any of them long enough to develop true feelings for them. When Wesley needs help to pass pre-calculus, he sees an opportunity: Violet could give him the help he needs to pass math, and he could give her dating advice. Will Violet’s unintentional charms be too much for him, and will Wesley’s compassion and knowledge about Shakespeare sway her opinion of him?
This book is part of Li’s East Beach High Sweet Romance Series, but it may be read as a stand-alone novel. The story is laced with hints about the romantic dramas of the supporting characters, and at least one other book is written that focuses on another couple’s trials of love. The next book, XOXO, Olivia, will be released next year.
I enjoyed the book. The story flowed well, and the interactions between the characters were realistic. I like a good sibling dynamic, and both Violet and Wesley had believable banter with their siblings.
I recommend the book for preteens and teens, but more mature readers who enjoy coming-of-age romances may like the story, as well.

[Namratha · Rating 3 out of 5]

Yet another of those soft, sweet romances set in a small (and thankfully) supportive community. The interactions between shy, plant-loving Violet and gregarious but not obnoxious high-school heartthrob Wesley Stirling is the kind of stuff that we have read about a million times and yet, I still find it sweet and comforting on crummy days.

[Arceli]

I really enjoyed this contemporary romance novel. It was super awesome. It was filled with the awesome kissing scenes. I loved how the characters grew and became better people. Highly recommend this book.

[Kristy Cuba · Rating 5 out of 5]

Such a cute series! Takes me back to my high school days. Wes and Vi are so cute ❤️❤️

[Isla Ryder · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was super sweet. We're back at East Beach High, and this time we're checking in with Violet. Big things are happening for her with her youtube channel and revealing her identity, but shes still a nervous senior who just wants a date with the guy she's been crushing on for all of high school. Cue Wesley, the popular jock who needs a math tutor so he can stay on the swim team. She'll help him with pre-calc and he'll help her get the date. Except... maybe he's interested in her, and his charms win her over too. But that's not the plan, and they are going to stick to it.
We get a ton of Violet backstory here and she's developed as a really dimensional character, Wes gets a sympathetic story too, so he doesn't stay 'dumb jock' for long. There's a nice amount of the side characters too, so we still get hints of Piper and Ash, and a preview of Olivia and Micah in here to round out the friend group.
After lots of 'just freaking say something!' you can expect your grand gesture, happy ending. And for high school kids I don't mind that its mostly a communication issue, of course they suck at talking to each other. I will certainly look forward to book 3 which just came out!

[samarah · Rating 5 out of 5]

I LOVED THIS BOOK SO SOS SOOOO MUCH IT WAS SO CUTE I CANNOT GET OVER IT

[Hannah:) · Rating 3 out of 5]

Funny at times, loved the sibling bond they both had! But again haha i really have a ting against grand gestures:/

[Pixie Perkins · Rating 5 out of 5]

My full review can be read here: bit.ly/3LtsfTz

“𝐇𝐞𝐲, 𝐖𝐞𝐬?”

𝐈 𝐫𝐞𝐭𝐮𝐫𝐧𝐞𝐝 𝐦𝐲 𝐠𝐚𝐳𝐞 𝐭𝐨 𝐦𝐲 𝐜𝐞𝐥𝐥 𝐩𝐡𝐨𝐧𝐞.

𝐕𝐢𝐨𝐥𝐞𝐭 𝐠𝐚𝐯𝐞 𝐦𝐞 𝐚 𝐬𝐨𝐟𝐭 𝐬𝐦𝐢𝐥𝐞. “𝐓𝐡𝐚𝐧𝐤𝐬 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐜𝐚𝐥𝐥𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐦𝐞 𝐭𝐨𝐧𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭.”

𝐈 𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐫𝐞𝐝 𝐚𝐭 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐛𝐞𝐚𝐮𝐭𝐢𝐟𝐮𝐥 𝐠𝐢𝐫𝐥 𝐨𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐬𝐜𝐫𝐞𝐞𝐧, 𝐰𝐢𝐬𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐬𝐡𝐞 𝐭𝐫𝐮𝐥𝐲 𝐰𝐚𝐬 𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐞 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐦𝐞 𝐧𝐨𝐰. “𝐈 𝐦𝐢𝐬𝐬𝐞𝐝 𝐲𝐨𝐮, 𝐕𝐢,” 𝐈 𝐦𝐮𝐫𝐦𝐮𝐫𝐞𝐝.

𝐕𝐢𝐨𝐥𝐞𝐭’𝐬 𝐥𝐢𝐩𝐬 𝐩𝐚𝐫𝐭𝐞𝐝 𝐚𝐬 𝐢𝐟 𝐬𝐡𝐞 𝐦𝐞𝐚𝐧𝐭 𝐭𝐨 𝐬𝐚𝐲 𝐬𝐨𝐦𝐞𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐠, 𝐛𝐮𝐭 𝐧𝐨 𝐰𝐨𝐫𝐝𝐬 𝐜𝐚𝐦𝐞 𝐨𝐮𝐭.

Oh mannnnn. This was too freaking sweet! The book was filled with lots of happiness, sunshine, and some deeper themes that really added to the overall experience. I loved it so much. 💗😍

Some points that NEED to be shared...

1: The bromance is BACK, baby!

2: Violet and Wes are adorableeeee

3: “How long have you liked him?” convo

4: Wes quoting Shakespeare

5: A fellow Kdrama lover!!

6: “Do I make you swoon?” (I’M SWOONING)

7: The high-five

8: I have thoughts about this Jay guy...

9: She’s awkward but HE gets awkward because of HERRRRRRR

10: We’re here for the caring brotherssss!

11: Wes and his notebook? I just can’t even

12: “Come help me with my hot glue gun”

13: When I tell you that I love Wes...

14: THEY ARE PERFECT FOR EACH OTHER

15: Chase needs to vanish lol

16: Chapter 12. I highlighted PARAGRAPHS

17: “Yeah. I do.”

18: THE “NOT DATE” DATE

19: Danggggg it, Wes. Now I’m mad at you

20: Okay, his concern for her is too precious. I can’t stay mad now

21: Noooooo, everything is wrongggg

22: SHUT UP. GO FOR IT, WES

23: (I got distracted with reading, so I neglected my notes list. Sorry not sorry)

24: “Chase doesn’t know you at all.”

25: Oh my goshhh, I knew this was going to happen and it’s still killing me!

26: Now I’m saddddd

27: Ugh, this is the WORST

28: I love the girls’ friendship

29: Little boxes...

30: Ohhh HE DID NOT. Wes is the best


As far as content goes: Any language or suggestive content was very mild. Side character had cancer. Divorced/absent parents. Bullying (aftermath of past experiences), anxiety, fear, and stress were some elements that were present in the book. None of this was triggering for me, but could be for other readers.
​
The tutor deal was perfect. The mixed messages drove me crazy in the best way. Wes and Violet were beyond perfect for each other. I loved how the story was about taking changes and overcoming the past. They both had their struggles and I really enjoyed seeing their growth. 🙌😊

I can't wait for Olivia and Micah's story! It's a fake relationship romance, so I'm sure that I'll love it!!! 💕

[Alexandra · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is my first time reading a book by Ginger Li and it is sufficient to say that I'll not miss any of her from now. I liked the atmosphere of the book very much. It was very comfortable and exciting to read. I liked Wes and Violet's personality so much. They were both so fun to read. Their conversations also were so fun to read. The book was really humourous. And there were a lot of swoon worthy moments. I was grinning so much while reading it.

Violet aka SPG(Shy Plant Girl) is a very famous YouTuber with around 2 million followers. She makes videos on houseplants, succulents and gardening. Nobody except her family and two best friends, Piper and Olivia, know that Violet is SPG. She is a shy introvert and a nerd (I love nerds and I am one too, so no offense). Now that it's senior year, she wants to date her long time crush, Chase. Being shy finds it difficult to ask him out.

Wesley is a swimmer. He is failing in Pre-Calculas and needs tutoring. He could ask Ash, his best friend but he is kinda embarrassed. So, he proposes a deal with Violet. She'll tutor him and he'll help her get a date with Chase

....and they begin to like each other. And Violet is confused.


They were the perfect couple. So swoon worthy! I'm waiting to read Olivia's story next!!!

No swearing. Totally clean and sweet. Can be read by 12+ audience.

I got an ARC copy! This is my honest review.

[Ilona Nurmela · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loooved this YA fantasy romance, such a treat of an easy, chuckleworthy read. Violet is your typical shy pretty nerdy girl crushing on the school hunk (think body freeze intermittent with verbal diarrhea about plant reproduction). Secretly, she is the most venerated YouTuber called Shy Plant Girl and all her friends are hot. Then Wesley (yup, the hot BFF of one of her friend’s BF’s) offers to tutor her in romance (it’s not what you think) in exhange for her explaining calculus to him so thr Vi can finally go on a date. It’s got the feel of the clean teen version of Bridget Jones + Never Been Kissed (minus falling for the teach, or the undercover thing or the baseball field scene). And the book really is in the best of YA traditions of friends helping friends, the girl battling memories of bullies, the boy having more than 1 issue of his own and it all comes together in a sweet and clean YA coming of age and finding love story. With love not being the central bit. Can be read as a standalone from xoxo Piper. Recommended for lovers of YA coming of age fantasy with romantic twists and contemporary urban (high school) fantasy. Lovers of all things magic will probably be disappointed coz rescuscitating plants is low magic to me, but zero magic to some dragonlovin’ ladies.

[Chicken · Rating 5 out of 5]

Rating: ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐

I loved Piper and Asher’s story in XOXO, Piper and couldn’t wait for this story. This one did not disappoint. In fact, I liked it better than the first book. Violet was such a sweet girl and to be honest, a bit like me besides the part where she’s famous and everything. Her shy persona and her whole attitude were just relatable. Wesley was an amazing hero. I loved how he helped Violet conquer her insecurities and become the best version of herself. He was just such a sweet guy. I‘ve got a whole new vocabulary because of this book. The author put so many different words which I kept highlighting in my kindle. The book was hilarious but had its seriousness and lots of love. My favourite scene comes near the end. My hint for you is that Violet calls Olivia sexy. If you read it and find it, let me know down below! I can’t wait for Olivia’s story now.

I received a review copy and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Amber Lambda · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a super cute friends to lovers story! I liked Wes and Violet’s sweet relationship from the beginning, and loved following their growing feelings and struggles. I also loved Violet’s geeky narrative, and her plant obsession, creating a fresh take from the usual smart kid who’s just obsessed with math and science. Violet’s friends and family were fun and realistic, too, and added to the atmosphere of the story, right up to the fun ending. 🥰

💗 Overall this was a quick, light read for lovers of sweet YA romance. And though it’s the second in a series it definitely stands alone as it’s own enjoyable story.

Thank you to the author, @gingerliwrites, for the ARC copy!

[Emily Pennington · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Best Story Ever - Wes and Violet . . .

Violet Reyes, known as Shy Plant Girl on YouTube, does videos about houseplants, succulents, and backyard gardening. She has over 2 million subscribers and her brothers help her out. She wrote a book and Marcus wants her to appear at YouCon to give a talk about it and promote the sale. He’s right, but she is extremely shy and not sure she can do this.

Violet, Piper, and Olivia walked past the orchestra building and Chase walked out, looking around and spotting Violet. Violet has liked Chase for years, but she can hardly speak every time she’s near him. Once again, when he asked if she was ready for the Bio test, she tripped over words, said No, Maybe, Yes, and went into an explanation that she hadn’t studied because a neighbor’s cat went into heat! He said goodbye and ran off.

Wesley Stirling has no trouble with his love life, except that he doesn’t stay with one person very long. He definitely avoids feelings. But he needs some help learning pre-calc so he can pass the course. And Violet needs a dating coach to get Chase’s attention. So Wes will help Violet talk to guys, kiss, and make herself date-worthy. He always saw her as gorgeous and hilarious, so this would be easy. In return, she will tutor him in pre-calc and teach him enough to pass math so he could co-captain the swim team. And as they each helped the other, it was no longer Chase occupying her mind and heart. And the playboy who could not stick with one person wanted only Violet to be his. What was happening to them? They are still denying it. But everyone around them noticed a difference in both of them.

I want to end with my favorite quote from this book where Violet shows Wes some Japanese Kingsugi pots in a store window. She explained they were broken pots that artists make whole again by gluing the pieces back together and painting the cracks with gold paint to highlight the fractures. And she loves them because “they remind us that there’s beauty to be found when we acknowledge and repair our broken parts.” That is exactly what these two have done for each other. What a beautiful story! You really won’t want to miss this one.

[Tara Macpherson · Rating 4 out of 5]

I had the wonderful opportunity to receive an ARC copy of the second book in the teen series East Beach High by Ginger Li (@gingerliwrites) . I loved the sweetness of the first book so was excited to read this one! Heads up - you can own a copy yourself come September!

XOXO Violet tells the story of Violet, a shy young lady with a passion for plants. So much so she secretly runs a very successful plant based YouTube channel. While she can discuss at length the amazing feats of succulents, she becomes tongue tied whenever she has to interact with her crush.
That is where Wesley comes in. Smooth, confident, runs in her friend circle - he's a total playboy with sweet heart and a need for help in maths.
You know where this is going. A deal is struck - dating tips on exchange for math tips. But soon lines may become blurry and feelings may change.
I really loved the characters in this one. Violet and her family were exceptionally sweet and hilarious. Wesley was quite the sweetheart with how he interacted with Violet and his little sister. I also enjoyed seeing characters from the previous book make an appearance.
I also found the use of social anxiety (which Violet suffers from) handled quite well.

If you love a fake dating trope, love talking about plants and want a simple sweet teen romance to brighten your day, I recommend giving this a try.

[Sierra · Rating 5 out of 5]

popular guy + plant girl

Reader’s Notes:

– this is book 2 of a series, but can be read as a stand-alone

– this is told from Violet and Wesley’s points of view

– there was one short moment where a character thought another spoke with innuendo

– there was one not nice word

Review:

I really enjoyed this story! I loved seeing Wes’s heart and Violet opening up to someone despite her experience in middle school. I loved Violet’s awkwardness and how she would just spew random facts she knew. I liked seeing both their siblings invested in and being nosy about their friendship. I also liked when Wes acted like they were together even though he was supposed to be helping Violet get a date with another guy (because he was jealous).

Violet has a crush on a boy, but anytime he speaks to her she finds it difficult to respond like a normal person. Wes needs to get a good grade in his math class to continue doing sports next season. So Wes comes up with an idea to help them both. Violet can tutor him in math and he can tutor her in relationships.

While a little skeptical, Violet agrees. But what happens when they both begin to fall for each other and a secret from the past could hurt their budding love?

[Kimberly · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 stars. “Great dracaena! I did like him. Really, really liked him.”

Jumped straight into this one after finishing XOXO Piper and for all the head-on-straight, taking-care-of-everyone-else we saw in Piper and Asher, I was here for the 180 to Violet’s funny and spot-on unfiltered thoughts, and Wesley’s unabashed charm.

High school fake dating plus the backstory on their friendship we got in XOXO Piper 🤌🏼

*Bonus Quote:
“Do you ever watch those cheesy romance movies? You know the ones I mean. A hot guy appears, and suddenly everything moves in slow motion, then he’s magically shirtless, riding a unicorn, and out of nowhere, a hose sprays him with water? Yeah, well, that’s what happens every time I see him.”

[Default_mode_books · Rating 4 out of 5]

WOW!!!!
I can't get enough of this book.

- Wes and Violet
- Violet and her thoughts ...amazing
- And the player falls in love
- Wes and his sister
- Violet and her family...they were so much fun
- I loved Violet's character, the way her family is, how they are there for each other.
- Wes's personality is amazing.
- Loved the way the story progressed, the way Wes and Vi developed feelings for each other.
- Loved how thoughtful Wes was
- There video call's ...ufff...

We get glimpses of Asher and Piper (from the 1st book) here, what I really liked about that was, they held their own personality and the author didn't mix them and kept their individual selfs so alive.

Looking forward to read Olivia and Micah's story.....

[Manisha Robinson · Rating 5 out of 5]

From a nerdy senior Violet who’s known as the most awkward girl at East Beach High. But online she is popular plant youtuber . Violet wants to catch Chase eye her secret crush . And the person to help her is Wesley the charmer and playboy but Wesley need a math tutor Violet will help him if he help her get the attention of her crush. The more Wesley and Violet are around each other the more Violet wonder if Chase even the guy for her . This is cute high school story I love the storyline and the characters are loveable .

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[lettylaunica · Rating 3 out of 5]

Sweet

This was a little Plain at the beginning the end was very good, sweet and at least there was a little bit more teenage drama that made no sense but it did in a way. I picked this one because I love the trope "I've been pining for You for the longest time" but then I like when the hero/heroine finds that she likes the fake boyfriend instead the one that was trying to get her and her crush together and the crush is like "Oh but I really like you now" I love that in a book give me that and I'll give you at least two stars but here the ending was just so sweet and the hero was lovely

[McKenna · Rating 5 out of 5]

Must read.

Okay, so I'm not the best reader and I refuse to read series.
When I started the first book in the series, I had a difficult time getting used to her style of writing. But I enjoyed the story so it was worth it to keep trying.
I absolutely loved the story in the first book, so I had to keep reading. I'm a person who loves to see the point of view from all the characters, so I loved that it goes back and forth between the main characters.
My favorite part about this series though, is that each story is different, and just builds on the lives of the different characters in this awesome friend group.
Highly recommend.

[Joey Paul · Rating 5 out of 5]

I picked this up after reading the first book and loving it, and I dived in as soon as it landed on my kindle. I adored the setup for this book, Violet and Wes were adorable, and the way the love story was woven through the pages, with twists and turns that sometimes made me wonder if it would all work out. The story was excellently crafted and the characters well rounded and relatable. This is a series I will be following and an author to watch. Very much recommended for those who love a quick, sweet, high school romance!

[Teresa Bertolio · Rating 5 out of 5]

Beautiful YA Romance

Violet is super shy. She did break through her shell to stay a YouTube channel about plants. Because she doesn't ever show her face, her identity is kept secret. Her brothers and parents help her with her merch and filming. She's been crushing on Chase for a long time. Wesley is popular, but needs a math tutor. Can he get Violet to tutor him in math, while he tutors her in flirting? What could go wrong? Find out in this fun and flirty YA romance. Happy Reading!

[Ubah Khasimuddin · Rating 2 out of 5]

Better than the first in the series, this starts out much better but the ending spirals out and loses its verve. I loved that Violet, in the beginning, really keeps Wes at arm's length because she knows he is a player. But towards the end, once she falls, she loses that spirit and its, blah.
Good for those just starting in romance novels, not so great for those of us who have years of experience and know what we want. Clean.

[Kim Hansen · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a sweet, feel good story with a HEA! Xoxo Violet give me all the tender feels and brings me back to my high school self. I loved getting to know Violet more, and to see her flourish! I have such a soft spot for second chance romances, and this one sure delivered! Can’t wait for Olivias story next!!

[Sarah Nielsen · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received this as an arc for my honest review

This was the second book in the series and as the first one it is a really cute YA story. I think that every YA fan should read this series. The characters are well rounded and the storylines are interesting. It’s also just a really well written book. I recommend reading it.

[Abby J · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book has all the feels! The teenage angst is palpable in Violet’s shy persona and the navigation through high school drama. The whole book is laced with realistic characters, genuinely realistic interactions, and lighthearted feelings. Absolutely loved it! Can’t wait for the next in the series!

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Darian - Books With A Chance · Rating 5 out of 5]

This one is my favorite from the series. I thought from how Violet acted in book one she had a crush on Wes, I wasn’t expecting there to be another boy. How could no one like Wes, he’s so charming I was falling in love. Really I loved everything about the book, my only complaint is how the bully was handled. It seemed intense and got physical, I just want justice for Violet.

[Erica · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a cute and quick YA wholesome romance read. Although it is book #2 in the series it can be read as a stand-alone which is what I did. Violet is your typical shy girl with a crush and Wes is your stereotypical popular boy. Tutoring sessions lead to some cute little flirting sessions for these two.